What is Mesothelioma?

Every year, on Action Mesothelioma Day, we remember the thousands of lives lost to mesothelioma and to raise awareness about this devastating asbestos-related cancer. It reminds us why we exist, why our standards are uncompromising, and why safety must always come first.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and incurable cancer caused almost exclusively by exposure to asbestos fibres. It affects the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart, and often develops decades after exposure. Tragically, many sufferers were exposed at work in industries such as construction, shipbuilding, and manufacturing. Despite asbestos being banned more than two decades ago, its legacy remains in schools, hospitals, housing, commercial, industrial, public and private buildings.

Why Action Mesothelioma Day Matters.

For our team, Mesothelioma Day is not only about remembrance—it is about responsibility. Every enclosure we build, every fibre we prevent from escaping, every clearance certificate we sign, contributes to the prevention of future cases.

The lives lost remind us that asbestos exposure is not a distant, historic problem. It is a present risk in the very buildings we enter daily. Our role as licenced asbestos removal professionals is to break the chain between asbestos in buildings today and mesothelioma cases tomorrow.

Your duty

If you are responsible for maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings or multi-occupancy domestic premises, you have a legal duty to manage asbestos in a building. (HSE) The person who has a legal duty to manage asbestos in a building (the dutyholder) could be the:

• building owner
• landlord for the premises
• person or organisation with clear responsibility for the building’s maintenance or repair.

Our Commitment

On Action Mesothelioma Day, we reaffirm our commitments:

• To protect workers, residents, and building users by following the strictest controls under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
• To train and upskill our staff continually
• To engage with clients and communities transparently
• To uphold the “golden thread” of safety information

Supporting Victims and Families

We stand in solidarity with mesothelioma charities and support groups nationally. Organisations like Mesothelioma UK, Asbestos Support Groups, and Macmillan Cancer Support provide vital help to patients and families.

A Message to Our Staff and Subcontractors

Remember that every procedure you follow—from enclosures properly to wearing the correct PPE / RPE —is not just compliance, it’s life-saving work. You are the frontline in the fight against mesothelioma. Your diligence ensures that future generations won’t suffer the same fate as so many before.

Our experienced project management teams are available to provide advice on the approach to manage and mitigate asbestos risk. Countrywide undertake asbestos removal in Liverpool, Manchester, Cheshire, Manchester, lancashire and North West. For more information or advice, visit www.countrywide-environmental.co.uk, phone 0151 426 2110, or email us at admin@countrywide-environmental.co.uk.